Anthony Fusco and Gregory Wallace Join A.C.T.'s AS YOU LIKE IT

The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Program presents William Shakespeare's beloved comedy As You Like It, directed by A.C.T. Associate Artistic Director Mark Rucker.

This will be the final A.C.T. production featuring the M.F.A. Program class of 2011, who will have just completed their showcase presentations in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Joining the cast in this send-off production are A.C.T. associate artists and core Acting Company members Anthony Fusco and Gregory Wallace. In As You Like It, Rosalind-joined by her cousin Celia and Touchstone, her court jester-disguises herself as a young man and flees to the Forest of Arden to escape the persecution of her uncle's court. Clever gender reversals and timely twists of fate propel this spirited tale, and Rosalind discovers that love, while fickle, may lurk around any corner. This fanciful production playfully incorporates eclectic music and "found" objects to create a vibrant, resplendent world for these deliciously witty and winsome characters. This production at Zeum Theater (Yerba Buena Gardens, Fourth and Howard streets, San Francisco) will give audiences a rare opportunity to watch Fusco and Wallace perform in an intimate setting. As You Like It runs May 12-28, 2011. 

Tickets are $20.50 and are available at act-sf.org or by calling A.C.T. Ticket Services at 415.749.2228.

"Twelve years ago, the prospect of sharing the stage with our M.F.A. Program students was something I approached with trepidation, but now it's one of the things I enjoy most about working at A.C.T.," said Wallace, whose most recent M.F.A. Program performance was in Lilies, or The Revival of a Romantic Drama in 2007. He has, however, shared the stage with M.F.A. Program students in many mainstage productions, including this season's Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet. "I love this particular class of actors and can't wait to work on this play with them." Fusco, who will be appearing in an M.F.A. Program production for the first time, added: "I've had the pleasure of working with the class of 2011 on Shakespeare in the classroom. Now I get to see how much of what I demanded from them I can actually manage to achieve myself. This is one of the great things about being an actor and a teacher at A.C.T.: having to try and rise to the level of your own demands. I expect to be challenged, inspired, and enlightened by these fine students-now colleagues-and of course by the wonderful director Mark Rucker."

Scenic designer Liliana Duque-Pineiro has created a design out of mostly recycled materials, including trees made of old sweaters, which creates a whimsical backdrop for this romantic comedy. The other members of the creative team include costume designer Callie Floor, lighting designer Benjamin Wilhelm, and sound designer Ted Crimy.

As You Like It is made possible by a generous grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation. Additional support is provided by The William G. Gilmore Foundation and donors to A.C.T.'s season gala.

Ranked as one of the top programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program was the first theater training program in the country not affiliated with a college or university accredited to award the master of fine arts degree. The M.F.A. Program functions as the cornerstone of the A.C.T. Conservatory, which also includes the Summer Training Congress, Studio A.C.T., and the Young Conservatory. The third and final year of the program is designed to give students the opportunity to focus primarily on performing for a public audience. Past A.C.T. M.F.A. Program third-year productions have included works by Christopher Durang, Charles Busch, Marc Blitzstein, Georg Büchner, Caryl Churchill, George Farquhar, Henrik Ibsen, Robert O'Hara, Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, Harold Pinter, William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Maxim Gorky, and Bertolt Brecht.